Page 119 of All Bets Are Off

“That’s good.” I meant it. “You guys have a lot to overcome. Your father pitted you against one another, and you lost a lot of time together because of him. It’s not too late to make up for that time.”

“I always thought they were out to get me,” he admitted. “My father instilled that fear in me, and I hate him for it. Weirdly, it turns out I hated him for a lot of other things all along, but I couldn’t admit it until today.”

“And why do you hate him today?”

“Because he was more than willing to hurt you even though I told him his plan was never going to happen.” He squeezed my hands, his gaze searching. “Livvie, before you showed up, I told him it didn’t matter what he thought. It only mattered what I felt. I don’t want another wife.”

I believed him. There was just one problem. “But … you might need a partnership to shore up Stone Group if he’s done more than we realize.”

“No, I don’t. You’re the only partner I need. The only one I want. You can help us go through the finances. You’ll be able to tell us what he did and if we need to fix something. You’ve already fixed my heart. You might as well fix the casino, too.”

I sucked in a breath. “You want me to stay with you?”

“Livvie, I never want you away from my side. I want you with me in the business … and this penthouse … and eventually a house. I want you to be my partner forever. I want you by my side for all of it. There’s never going to be anybody else for me.” He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to mine. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”

My heart felt so big I was convinced it was going to burst through my chest. “You really want that?”

“I do. I’ve wanted that since the beginning. I might not have realized it when Batman was dragging us through the vows, but I knew it by the time Robin joined the fray and asked me if I wanted a ‘Holy Matrimony, Batman’ good time.”

I didn’t want to laugh, but I couldn’t help myself. “I love you, too.” It came out in a rasp. “The thing is, I’ve always loved you. Even when I was fourteen and wearing braces I loved you. I think I knew when you proposed this idea that it was my one chance of making you love me back. I’m afraid I’ve boxed you into a corner, though. What if you decide three months from now that this isn’t the life you want?”

“Livvie, this is always the life I wanted.” He pulled me tightly against him. “Why do you think I hung around your house so much as a kid? I always knew you had a better life than me. I want to make this life together. You and me. Forever.”

A shuddering sigh escaped. “That’s what I want too.”

“Yeah?” He tapped my chin to get me to look up into his eyes. “Say it.”

“Say what? I love you? I do.”

“I know you love me. I love you too. Say the other part.”

I was confused. “What part?”

“Tell me I’m the only husband you’ll ever want and need.”

“Do you really not know that?”

He laughed. “I know it. I still want to hear it. You and I aren’t good with things that aren’t laid out for us. You’re the only wifeI’m ever going to want. This is real. It has been for a long time now. Just tell me you feel the same way.”

I didn’t hesitate. He’d been vulnerable first—not that it was necessary—and I wanted to do the same for him. “You’re all I’m ever going to want.”

Now it was his turn to sigh in shaky delight. “Good.” He molded his lips to mine and sucked the oxygen out of my lungs with his kiss. It wasn’t dirty—that was still to come—but it was exactly what I needed. When he pulled back, he looked flushed and a bit annoyed. “I would like to take you to bed and shut out the world for a few days. We have to evict my father first, though.”

I smirked. “And you want me there for that?”

“Didn’t I just say I wanted you there for everything?”

“I was just checking.” I cupped his cheeks. “Forever?”

“And always,” he confirmed.

That was enough for me. I’d finally gotten everything I ever wanted.

EPILOGUE

FOUR MONTHS LATER

“What are you doing?”

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